Military Heavyweights: The 10 Countries with the Most Tanks

Would you like to find out where the countries with the most tanks are located? It is common knowledge that tanks continue to be the primary force when it comes to land armies, since they can unleash a great deal of firepower and are highly resistant against enemy attacks. Having a huge arsenal of tanks is thus particularly useful when defending or attacking territory by land and even more so when the enemy does not have strong aerial capabilities. Tanks might be powerful, but they are basically sitting ducks for fighter jets. Hence, modern armies tend to look for a balance between land, air, and naval units in order to ensure they are less vulnerable.

Some of the countries on our list however do not seem to have learned this strategic lesson and have an abnormally large amount of tanks. At the same time, these nations lack proper air forces, making them very vulnerable despite the fact that they are heavily armed. Yet this is not simply a strategic miscalculation, but is tied to the difficulty involved in developing modern aircraft. Unlike tanks, which are relatively easy to acquire and even produce, advanced fighter jets are extremely expensive and require a high degree of technical know-how. Thus, many countries have opted to pour their resources into armored vehicles, instead of pursuing what seems like a distant dream.

In a previous article we took a glance at the 9 largest private armies in the world and discovered that size and efficiency are two very different things. The same applies for the countries with the most tanks, in the sense that they are not necessarily the most advanced or most powerful armies around simply because of their land units. Nevertheless, it is always good to have tanks and they are very effective and potent weapons which cannot be disregarded by any means. Thus, we now present you with our list of the top ten countries according to their tank strength, which is calculated by adding up the total number of main battle tanks, tank destroyers, and light tanks.

10. India – 3,569 tanks

The first country on our list is not necessarily the first that comes to mind when thinking of military strength and tanks, yet one would be wrong to ignore India’s military strength. Constant border clashes with Pakistan in the Kashmir region have not only led to tension, but have resulted in open combat in the past, meaning India’s army must always be as strong as possible.
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Some more surprises are forthcoming on the following pages as our list of the countries with the most tanks continues.

9. Turkey – 3,657 tanks

Turkey is not only important as a gateway between Europe and the Middle East, but it is also a country with considerable military power. In fact, Turkey is often a desired ally when entering the fray in this region of the world, and the large fleet of tanks at its disposal makes it even more so.
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8. Israel – 3,870 tanks

As a nation that was born out of conflict and has practically been at war since birth, Israel is well-known for having a highly-trained and well-equipped army. Its tank division is no different, and is not only large in numbers, but also has the latest technology available.

7. Ukraine – 4,112 tanks

As one of the largest of the former Soviet satellites, the Ukraine’s military has profited from whatever the Russians left behind following the end of the Cold War. Although many of the tanks belong to an older generation, they are still more than capable of engaging in battle.

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6. Egypt – 4,767 tanks

Although the domestic situation in Egypt has been unstable in recent years, it continues to boast one of the strongest armies in the world. Due to the large extension of its territory, tanks are especially important to Egypt, although it might be better served by further developing its air force.

5. Syria – 4,950 tanks

Syria is better known for the ongoing civil war than for its military prowess, yet when it comes to tanks, they are certainly not trailing behind. Yet all these tanks might simply be considered overkill, especially considering neighbouring Israel has one of the most advanced air forces in the world.

4. North Korea – 6,600 tanks

They might be poor, they might not be liked, yet North Koreans sure do know how to build an army. Making all the previously mentioned countries look like small potatoes, North Korea’s tank fleet is surprisingly large, although it surely is not the most modern in the world.
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3. United States – 8,325 tanks

Naturally the US could not be missing on our list. The fact that it only landed in the third spot despite being considered by far the strongest military power in the world serves more as a verification of our argument that tanks should not be overvalued. The US army prefers to rely on its air power, thus making it unnecessary to have any more tanks than it already has.
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2. China – 9,150 tanks

Thanks to a large increase in their defense budget, the Chinese army is growing at an accelerated pace. In addition to fighter jets, drones, warships and aircraft carriers, China has also been upgrading its tanks. It is currently the runner-up on our list, with around 800 more armored vehicles than the US.

1. Russia – 15,500 tanks

Due to the huge extension of its territory, it makes quite a lot of sense for Russia to have an enormous fleet of tanks at its disposal. After all, a land battle is the most likely defense scenario the Russians would have to deal with in case of invasion, thus making tanks their primary weapon of choice.